Disk picture projector



Feb. 15, 1949. s, MOORE 2,461,756

DISK PICTURE PROJECTOR Filed March 16, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l swam bowFa/pfiifoone,

Feb. 15, 1949. Rs. MOORE DISK PICTURE PRQJECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledMarch 16, 1945 Pa 40/? A5. ffaore,

Patented Feb. 15, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISK PICTUREPROJECTOR Ralph S. Moore, Visalia, Calif.

Application March 16, 1945, Serial No. 583,015

2 Claims. 1

The invention appertains to means for still picture projection, and hasfor one of its several objects to provide a means of arranging asequence of still pictures, in either circular or spiral series, upon atransparent disc structure, for the projection of the pictures onto aviewing screen, in the order of the sequential arrangement thereof; thepictures being either photographed on a circular film to be incorporatedin the disc structure, or to be separately photographed and mounted,either temporarily or permanently, on or in the disc structure; suchpicture discs having the advantages of being durable, easily handled,changed, and mailable, and not easily breakable, hence, capable ofstanding up over long periods of use, without loss of continuity becauseof broken film.

Another object of the invention has to do with the provision of a meansespecially designed to project the still pictures from the aforesaiddisc structure, in the order of the sequential arrangement of thepictures, at a predetermined rate of speed; the machine being automaticin operation and provided with means for varying its speed to suitparticular projection requirements.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, the inventionresides in the certain new and useful combination, construction, andarrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, setforth in the appended claims,

and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical, longitudinal section, through the pictureprojection apparatus, in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical, transverse section, taken through the line 2-2onFigure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a face view of the master control disc and of theintermittent feed sprocket therefor, the spindle mounting for thecontrol disc and the operating shaft for the feed sprocket being shownin cross section;

Figure 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical, transverse section,taken through the line 4-4 on Figure 1, looking in the direction of thearrows; and

Figure 5 is a rear face view of a picture disc in abutted. operativerelation, with the rear face of a modified form of master control disc.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and more particularly to Figures 2and 5, a picture record disc, in accordance with the invention. is madeup of a transparent disc I'D, which may be formed of glass or a plastic,having a series of related disc.

pictures l2 afiixed thereto, either temporarily or permanently, or itmay take the form .of a circular film or sensitized disc, having thepictures printed thereon and, in either case, the pictures are arrangedin either a spiral sequence, as shown in Figure 2, or a circularsequence, as shown in Figure 5.

For the purpose of projecting the pictures from interchangeable recorddiscs of this kind, onto a suitable viewing surface or screen (notshown), I have provided an automatic projector, which is comprised in asubstantially rectangular cabinet, having a bottom wall l4, side walls16, a rear wall is, a front wall 20, and a top wall 22. Risin verticallywithin the cabinet, rearwardly of the transverse center thereof andcentered between the side walls :6, is a supporting structure for thepicture disc mounting and actuating mechanism, the same having a solidupper part 24 and spaced parallel lower parts 26; the latter acting asguides or rails for a slide member or carriage 28. Passing through theslide member 28, is a spindle 30, preferably in the form of a headedbolt, having its headed end spaced from the front side of the slidemember and carrying a coiled spring 34, positioned thereon between apair of washers 36 and 38, the washer 36 bearing against the bolt headand the washer 38 against the front face of the slide member, while itsrearwardly directed end is screw threaded to receive a winged nut 32 anda washer 40.

Mounted on the spindle 30, immediately in rear of the slide member 28,is a rearwardly flanged hub 42, against the flanged end of which, amaster control disc 46, of a transparent material, such as glass or thelike, is abutted; the hub being secured on the spindle by means of a setscrew 44, while the control disc is clamped between the hub and thewasher 40, when the winged nut 32 is tightened. Prior to the engagementof the washer 40 and the winged nut 32 on the spindle 30, a picturerecord disc I0 is positioned on the latter, in abutted relation with therear side of the control disc 46, and is clampp in that relation, whenthe washer 40 and the winged nut 32 are tightened in place on thespindle. To one side of the central opening to receive the spindle 30,the picture record disc 10 is provided with an aperture Illa, to beengaged on a guide pin 48, projecting rearwardly from the control disc,to the end that the first picture of a sequence on each record disc willalways be at the starting point of rotation of the control The controldisc 46, as shown in Figures 1 through 3, has its front side providedwith a spiral flange 58, for use th a picture record disc I8 having thepictures I arranged thereon in a spiral sequence; the pict resregistering with the space. between the convolutions of the spiralflange, when the two discs are in assembly on the spindle 38. In themodified form of control and picture record disc assembly, as shown inFigure 5, wherein'the pictures I2 are arranged in a circular sequence onthe record disc I8, the control disc will have a circular flange 58',which will conform to the circle defined by the inner end edges of theseveral pictures, substantially as shown.

The picture record and control disc assembly is to be rotated by meansof an intermittent sprocket 54, the teeth of which engage with apertures82, formed in the flanges 58 or 58', as the sively into registry withthe aperture 582. In order to dissipate heat from within the lampcompartment I88 and from the picture record disc I8, a fan H8 is keyedon the. rear end of the rotor shaft 84, of the motor M, within a housingII8. which is connected by a conduit I28 with the interior of the lampcompartment, through the bottom wall I I8, and with the interior of thecabmet, as at I22, through the lower portion of the case may be; thesprocket being keyed on the rear end of a shaft 56, that is journalledintermediate its ends in a bearing 58, mounted in the upper part 24, ofthe supporting structure 28.

The forward end of the shaft 56 is supported in a bearing member 88 andcarries a cam element 82, having high points spaced apartproportionately with respect to the width of the individual pictures ona picture record disc. The cam element 82 is disposed in the path ofmovement of a lug 84, mounted on the rear side of a grooved pulley 88,which is keyed on a shaft 88, journalled in the upper end of a bearingbracket I8, rising from the bottom wall I4, of the cabinet. Mountedwithin the lower part of the bracket 18, is the housing I8, of areduction gearing (not shown), having a shaft I6 projecting from itsforward side and carrying a smaller grooved pulley I4, that is connectedby an endless belt 12 to the pulley 68. Projecting rearwardly from thehousing 18, is a shaft section 88, which is coupled, as at 82, to therotor shaft 84, of an electric motor M.

Formed in the front wall 28, of the cabinet, is

an aperture 88 and, secured on the inner side of the wall, in line withthe aperture, is a tubular member 88, in which'a lens tube including anobjective lens system 98 is slidably supported; a

- projecting lens 82 being mounted in the front end of the latter. Forthe purpose of adjusting the lens 92, relatively to'the aperture 88, thetubular member 88 is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 84,in its lower side, and the lens tube 98, with a lug 96, dependingthrough the slot. An adjusting screw 98 is mounted in the front wall I8,below the aperture 86 therein, and has its inner end in screw threadedengagementwith an opening formed in the lug 98. A framing device I88 iscarried at the rear end of the tubular member 88, if desired, in orderto impart to the projected pictures the advantages obtaining from itsuse.

Formed in the'upper part 24, of the supporting structure '28, is anaperture I82,which is disposed in line with projection aperture 86, inthe front wall I8 of the cabinet, and also with a condenser lens I84,mounted in the verticalwall I88, of a lamp compartment I88. provided inthe upper rear part of the cabinet; an electric lamp bulb H2 beingsupported on the bottom wall II8, of the compartment, and disposed inline with the condenser lens I84 and a reflector II4, mounted on therear wall I4, of the cabinet, so that a beam of light from the lamp bulbH2 is projected by the condenser lens I84 through the path of movementof the pictures I2, on the record disc I8, when the latter and thecontrol disc 48 are intermittently moved to bring the picturessuccesvertical wall 888, so as to discharge an air stream against andupwardly of the rear side of the picture record and control discassembly; discharge openings for the air being provided in the top wall22, of the cabinet, as at I28, which open into the latter at both sidesof the vertical wall 588, of the lamp compartment.

Mounted on the pulley 88, and projecting from the edge thereof, is ashutter I28, which, in the rotation of the pulley, cuts the light beamin its passage from the aperture I82, to and through the framing deviceand projecting lens assembly. During the major period of rotation of thepulley 66, in each revolution thereof, eachof the pictures I2, on therecord disc III, are projected onto the viewing surface or screen, whilea change from one picture to another, in the sequence of the arrangementof the same on the record disc, is effected during each blackout periodof the light beam, by the shutter I28. This operation is accomplished bythe synchronized relationship established between the operative parts,the record and control disc assembly remaining stationary during themajor period of rotation of the pulley 68, through each revolutionthereof, and turning through a distance equal to the width of a singlepicture, on the record disc I8, when the intermittent sprocket 54 islikewise turned by the movement imparted to the cam 82, by the mg 84,

on the inner side of the pulley 58, the motion of the cam beingtransmitted to the sprocket through the shaft 56. For the purposes ofthe instant invention, the cam 82 has been provided with four highpoints, so that it is given a quarter turn each time the lug 84 engagesone of the high points, as a consequence Of which, the shaft 58 and thesprocket 54 are likewise given a quarter turn,

which distance of turn is equal to the width of a single picture I2. Thenumber of pictures to be projected per minute is to be varied by apredetermined speed of rotation of the pulley 88 obtained from aregulation of the speed of operation of the motor M, which may beaccomplished with any suitable means, e. g., a rheostat (not shown).

In the operation of the projector, as thus constructed and arranged,with a picture record disc I8 having the pictures I2 arranged thereon ina spiral sequence and a control disc 48 provided with a complementalspiral flange or track 58, the record and control disc assembly is to beremoved from and replaced upon the spindle 38, by the removal andreplacement of the winged nut 32 and the washer 44, when the slidemember 28 is elevated on the guides or rails 28 to permit of theengagement of the teeth of the intermittent sprocket with the firstofthe apertures 52 at the inner end of the flange or track; a sumcientclearance being provided at the upper ends ,of the guides or rails 26 toallow the slide member to be raised to a height that willpermit theflange or track 58 to be positioned above the intermittent sprocket 54and thereafter lowered to cause the teeth of the latter to engage withthe apertures 52. With the rotation of the record and 'control discassembly, the slide member 28 automatiend of the flange or track 50, onthe control disc 48, and the proper relationship between the record discand the control disc is accurately established by the engagement of theguide pin 18, on the rear side of the control disc, with the apertureIlia, in the record disc l0.

Without further description, it is thought to be obvious that I haveprovided an extremely simplified and inexpensive still picture recorddisc and projector system, of particular worth for general advertisingpurposes and the like, wherein the picture records can be manufactured,distributed, and/or sold, independently, such as phonograph records andthe like, or they may be manufactured and sold in combination with theprojector. The projector may be set so that it is automatic in operationfor the projection of a given sequence of still pictures onto a viewingsurface or screen.

Having thus fully described a preferred embodiment of my invention, itis to be understood that changes in design and in minor details ofconstruction and arrangement of the parts thereof may be resorted to,provided such changes are within the limits defined by the scope of theappended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a picture disc projector, the combination which comprises aprojector housing having an intermediate partition, said partitionhaving an opening and a light projecting aperture therein, a carriageslidably mounted in said partition opening for vertical movementtherein, a picture disc havinga series of pictures arranged arcuately onthe face thereof, a transparent master disc for supporting said picturedisc in fac adjacency therewith, means for mounting said picture andmaster discs for unitary rotation on said carriage, said master dischaving secured thereto an axially projecting arcuate flange conformingto the curvature of said arcuately arranged series of pictures andhaving a series of equally spaced apertures formed therein, a sprocketrotatably supported on said housing and having the teeth thereofarranged for coaction with said flange apertures, said sprocket beingdisposed beneath said flange in supporting relation therefor andarranged in predetermined spaced relation with respect to said lightprojecting aperture sufficient to position said series of pictures inregistry therewith and to elevate said carriage in said partitionvariably in accordance with the curvature of the flange upon unitaryrotation of said pictur and master discs as the sprocket rotates, alight source associated with said light projecting aperture, a condenserlens positioned between said light source and said picture disc, anobjective lens system mounted in said housing in alignment with saidlight source, condenser lens, and light projecting aperture, a shutterelement rotatably supported on the housing between said objective lenssystem and said light projecting aperture and arranged to preventpassage of light from said light source through said objective lensduring a fractional portion of one complete revolution of the shutter,means for rotating the shutter at a predetermined speed, andintermittent driving connections between said shutter rotating means andsaid sprocket for causing predetermined intermittent rotary motion ofthe sprocket effective to advance said series of pietures successivelyinto registry with said light projecting aperture during successivefractional movements of the shutter respectively.

2. In a' picture disc projector, the combination which comprises aprojector housing having an intermediate partition, said partitionhaving a slide receiving opening and a light projecting aperturetherein, a carriage slidably mounted in said partition for verticalmovement within said slide receiving opening therein, a transverselydisposed pin carried by said carriage for rotation thereon, means forfrictionally limiting free rotation of said pin on the carriage, apicture disc having a series of pictures arranged spirally on the facethereof, a transparent master disc for detachably supporting saidpicture disc in face adjacency with one face thereof, means fordetachably and frictionally locking said picture and master discs onsaid pin for unitary rotation therewith, a complementary spiral flangesecured to the other side of said master disc and arranged thereon withsaid series of spirally arranged pictures in registry with the spacesbetween the convolutions of the spiral flange when the picture disc issupported on the master disc, said flange having a series of equallyspaced openings formed thereon, a sprocket rotatably supported on theprojector housing beneath said flange in supporting relation thereto andin predetermined spaced relation with respect to said light projectingaperture sufficient to bring said series of pictures into registrytherewith, the teeth of said sprocket engaging said apertures in theflange whereby said carriage is elevated variably in accordance with thecurvature of the spiral flange as the flange is moved over the sprocketupon rotation thereof, a light source associated with said lightprojecting aperture, a condenser lens interposed between said lightsource and said light projecting aperture in alignment therewith, anadjustable objective len system supported on the projector housing inalignment with the light projecting aperture and said light source, ashutter element rotatably supported on the housing between said lightprojecting aperture and said objective lens system and arranged toprevent passage of light therethrou-gh from the light source during afractional portion of one complete revolution of the shutter, means forcirculating cooling air for said light source, means for rotating saidshutter element and said air circulating means at predetermined speeds,and intermittent driving connections between said shutter rotating meansand said sprocket for causing predetermined intermittent rotary motionthereof effective to advance said series of pictures successively intoregistry with said light projecting aperture during successivefractional movements of the shutter respectively.

RALPH S. MOORE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 661,515 Giel Nov. 13, 1900973,003 Coughlin Oct. 18, 1910 1,096,873 Victor May 19, 1914 1,107,293Grad et al. Aug. 18, 1914 1,208,573 Kitsee Dec. 12, 1916 1,254,239Koella 'Jan. 22, 1918 (Other references on following page)

